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Animal therapy brings adult care center joy in Round Rock

Animal therapy brings adult care center joy in Round Rock

Two friendly pit bulls and one happy guinea pig visited the Round Rock Adult Day Health Center Aug. 25 as they do almost every Tuesday afternoon to visit and play with the members of the center, bringing joy and fun to those they met.

Pit bulls from the “Pit Crew” with the nonprofit Love-A-Bull and a guinea pig from the Austin Guinea Pig Rescue have been visiting the center for about six months, said Naomi Dalsbo, activities director at the Round Rock Adult Day Health Center.

“Pet therapies do a lot for everybody but especially the elderly,” Dalsbo said. “It keeps them from being depressed, it makes them get the love, the unconditional love that people need.”

Dalsbo reached out to the Pit Crew and asked them to visit the center, and they have become regular guests.

Lauren Greenwade, program director at the Round Rock Adult Day Health Center with AGE of Central Texas, said the center provides respite and short-term day care to the elderly as well as adults with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, Greenwade said.

“Watching the members’ faces just be so content, which is the really nice part about (the animal visits), and they really get excited when the dogs come in,” Greenwade said. “There was no fear at all.”

Most of the members of the center have Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, Greenwade said.

“We have a couple of ladies that are blind, and they’re not able to get the joy from watching the dog’s tail or anything, but they get to hold the guinea pig, and it’s more therapeutic for them because they get to feel that,” Dalsbo said.

Helen Lawson, 84, is a member at the Round Rock Adult Day Health Center who enjoys the company of the pit bulls and guinea pig.

“It’s very nice to see how lovable the dogs are and that they really appreciate the attention that they get,” Lawson said. “They let you pet them, and they seem to look you right in the eye – look you over – and accept you for what you are, which is a very charming feature.”

Lawson said her condominium does not allow pets, so the animals’ visits at the center brings her joy.

“I think it’s very nice for them to do this for us being that so many of us girls here are in circumstances where we can’t have pets, so it makes us feel good – it’s an injection against high-blood pressure for every one of us every day,” Lawson said.

Lawson said she enjoys interacting with the pit bulls and feels the benefits of the animal therapy.

“It’s been proven again and again that it really is awfully good for people that are alone a lot, too, like many of us here are,” Lawson said. “The doctors are finding out that the things in the natural realm exceed, in some ways, what medicine cannot do. It’s good that we have both now.”

Kane and Karma, two pit bulls with Pit Crew therapy dog program, visited the center on Aug. 25 and played with the members, letting them pet them all over. Samson the guinea pig let members feed her lettuce and kale while being petted.

Kelsey Prather, a Round Rock resident, is the owner of Karma, a pit bull, and member of the Pit Crew.

Prather is also involved in the Austin Guinea Pig Rescue. She brings Samson and Karma to the center to visit with the members.

Prather said she always wanted to do therapy work and knew Karma, a 4-year-old pit bull, would be the “perfect dog” for it.

“She’s social, she loves everybody, and nothing makes her happier than going out in public,” Prather said.

It took Prather and Karma a year of training to “graduate” from the Pit Crew program and gain their service and behavior certifications, Prather said.

“It’s a lot of work, a ton of training, a ton of practice; you still have to keep up on it,” Prather said. “It’s an investment, but (Karma) loves it so much that it’s worth it.”

Prather said Karma has worked with infants, school children, adults and seniors.